As part of the Thuan Chau Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival 2026, Thuan Chau commune on July 3 morning reenacted the traditional Xen Ban, a traditional festival that embodies the distinctive cultural identity of the Thai ethnic people.

Family is where moral values, healthy lifestyles, and cherished traditions are nurtured and passed on. In response to Vietnam Family Day (June 28) and the 2026 National Month of Action on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, authorities at all levels, sectors, and localities across Son La province have implemented a wide range of communication and awareness-raising activities to promote the meaning and values of the family. These efforts aim to enhance the awareness and responsibility of individuals and communities in building happy families, which serve as the foundation for a happy and prosperous society.

Along the road leading to the centre of Long He commune, past the lush green rice fields of Nong Lanh hamlet, traditional waterwheels continue to turn day and night beside the Nam E stream, channeling water to irrigate the surrounding fields. These waterwheels have long been a distinctive feature of the cultural heritage of the local Thai ethnic community.

Located by the legendary Pha Din Pass, Muong E commune is home to the diverse cultural identities of four ethnic groups: Thai, Kho Mu, Khang, and Mong. This diversity creates a colourful cultural tapestry, which has become a resource for the locality to promote preservation linked to sustainable tourism development.

The Son La provincial Centre for Culture and Sports, in coordination with the People’s Committee of Chieng Coi ward, staged a special art programme marking the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2026) and the 140th International Workers’ Day (May 1, 1886–2026) on the evening of April 25 at Hoang Quoc Viet pedestrian street.

The Han Thuc (Cold Foods) Festival, observed on the third day of the third lunar month, is regarded by many Vietnamese families as an occasion to honour ancestors, gather together to make banh troi (floating cake) and banh chay (lean cake), and reflect on their cultural roots and traditions.

No longer confined to community spaces, traditional rituals and festivals tied to the spiritual lives of ethnic groups in Son La are increasingly being brought to the stage, making them more accessible to wider audiences. This “theatrical adaptation” breathes new life into intangible cultural heritage, enriching their original values while offering a flexible and effective approach to preservation and promotion.

The Lang Pang A Festival of the La Ha ethnic group was re-enacted at the community cultural house of Hien village, Muong Khieng commune on April 11.

The People’s Committee of Moc Chau ward organised the Rain-Praying Festival 2026 at the stadium of Na Bo 2 residential area on April 2.

The provincial Union of Literature and Arts Associations on March 26 held the closing ceremony of the first creative writing camp for literature and arts 2026.

From the Muong La bridge, we set off along Provincial Road 111 by the Da River toward the remote commune of Pac Nga. Thanks to improved transport infrastructure, the rural landscape here is gradually transforming, the local people’s lives are becoming better, and traditional cultural values continue to be cherished and preserved.

To Mua commune held the opening ceremony of its Ban (Bauhinia variegata) Flower Festival 2026 on the evening of March 20. Attending the event were Hoang Van Chat, former Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and former Chairman of the provincial People’s Council; leaders of Van Ho and Song Khua communes, along with a large number of local residents and visitors from both inside and outside the province.

The Son La provincial Department of Education and Training on March 19 launched the 12th provincial contest for outstanding secondary school teachers for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Visiting Son La in March, tourists can immerse themselves in poetic natural scenery while enjoying distinctive local cuisine. The combination of ban (Bauhinia variegata) blossoms, wild bamboo shoots and the skillful hands of local women creates dishes imbued with the flavours of mountains and forests, captivating visitors from afar at the first taste

In response to International Women’s Day (March 8) and in celebration of the upcoming election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, on March 6 the Women’s Union of Chieng Hac commune organised the Ethnic Women’s Festival, themed “Confidence – Health – Preserving Ethnic Cultural Identity.”